The viral “Tarps Off” shirtless fan craze that’s become a phenomenon across sporting events around the country finally hit Oracle Park in San Francisco on Friday night, as swaths of SF Giants fans removed their shirts in a frenzy during a 9-4 blowout loss to the White Sox.
The movement, which reportedly began in MLB at Coors Field, really started to gain momentum in the eighth inning and it became impossible to ignore, as broadcasters Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow acknowledged the trend during the telecast, making it arguably the most entertaining moment in a game where the Giants surrendered nine runs in one inning to Chicago.
One spirited group in the left field bleachers especially got Krukow and Kuiper’s attention in the eighth.
“That group up there has everybody going,” a delighted Kuiper said as fans in other sections of Oracle Park began to follow the large group in the left field bleachers and partake in the trend.
“We need to be part of this,” Krukow joked.
Kuiper agreed and quipped, “I know, I’m going down there right now.”
The moment perhaps reached its on-air climax as a groundout to Matt Chapman to end the eighth inning prompted a sarcastic, “And listen to this crowd!” line from Kuiper as Oracle Park roared once the Giants got out of the inning.
Krukow wrapped a perfect bow on the moment, shouting, “We’re having fun no matter what!” in his trademark grumble as the broadcast went to commercial break.
An SFGATE reporter who was in attendance Friday night captured video in between innings as the Giants leaned into the bit. After that inning ended, the Oracle Park sound system played “I’m Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO while shirtless Giants fans young and old were shown going nuts on the jumbotron in all corners of the ballpark. The largest group of guys waving their shirts over their heads were in the center field bleachers, with the vast majority of that area filled up by high school and college kids on Friday night.
It’s not a big shocker that those kids chose to participate in the viral trend, which became incredibly popular during college football season last fall. As the MLB season hits the summertime, the trend has roared back to life at ballparks across the country. On Friday night, at the end of a dreadful game in a miserable season, the trend even got noticed from the Giants dugout.
“You want to kind of pay attention to the game, but it was kind of hard to not pay attention to what was going on or at least see what was going on in the stands,” manager Tony Vitello said, who praised the Giants fans for being active even in the blowout loss.
Fans who want to go “Tarps Off” on Saturday have a chance to do so in a bit warmer weather than Friday evening’s fans, as the Giants take on the White Sox again at 1:05 p.m. on NBC Sports Bay Area.
SFGATE sports editor Alex Simon contributed to this report.